Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford is the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. / Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP

by Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY

by Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military relied on Afghans to certify a troubled hospital built with American funds instead of conducting its own inspection, according to a letter the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction sent to commanders Thursday.

The $600,000 Salang Hospital in eastern Afghanistan was the subject of a critical audit by the inspector general released last month. Inspector General John Sopko's staff found problems including unreliable electricity, the use of river water to bathe infants and the shoddy quality of the building itself that sits in an earthquake-prone area. Before the release of the audit, the U.S. military command issued a news release quoting an Afghan official who said the problems had been addressed.

The military's release noted that a solar power unit had been installed to augment the hospital's generator. The Army's Geospatial Center, using satellites, found "no evidence that, as of the date of press release, any solar panels had been installed on the hospital's roof to provide supplemental electricity," Sopko wrote in his letter.

An NBC News crew that visited the hospital recently found that problems persisted, and the staff complained about a lack of equipment, electricity and the ability to provide services, Sopko wrote.

American troops could not visit the site because it was too dangerous and there were not enough forces available to protect inspectors, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY.

Sopko called on commanders to conduct a more thorough inspection.

"This information underscores the problems that can occur when information is not verified by an independent source," Sopko wrote. He suggested using satellites and hiring Afghans who could travel more safely to the site to conduct the inspection.

The strained relationship between Sopko's office and military commanders has drawn congressional attention. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., has called on Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford to respond to a USA TODAY report that found the International Security Assistance Force had mounted a spin campaign to counter the audits.

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